For more than three decades, kiss cams have been seen as a lighthearted, silly part of the sports fan experience. But in our current cultural environment, the gimmick raises questions about inclusiveness, pressure, and consent.

Adding my own $0.02 worth, it's been several years since I've attended a stick and ball sport at one of the local venues, so I have no idea if the local teams here still do this.

I do remember a baseball game at the old Metrodome a few years ago, where I witnessed an incident very similar to one described in the piece. The Kiss Kam settled on a couple, who didn't kiss. A few hands appeared, trying to shove the two faces together. It was clear (To me, at least,) that the woman involved wanted nothing to do with it, as she start shoving the hands away from her, to the sound of boos from the crowd.

PC run amok if you ask me. Next thing you know, someone is going to tell me I can’t go around randomly grabbing women—and men (I’m not a total dinosaur)—kissing them, and then chucking them aside.

I’m a sailor, dammit. It’s not sexual assault, it's traditional!

ETA: Random thought based on actual content from the article:

Quote:

A decade later, Shprintzen says he doesn’t remember anything else about the game—not who won, not who pitched, not who made the best play.

That’s because baseball is boring. No one remembers. I went to a game once, couldn’t have been more than five because it was a Tigers home game and my family left Michigan when I was five, and all I remember is that it was a long ass walk getting from the parking lot to the stadium and I couldn’t tell what was going on from the cheap seats. But then that would have been 99.99% true even from the from front row. Baseball is boring.

Or just, if you don't find them interesting, they're boring. I like baseball and soccer, which often get called boring, but I find them interesting. I used to like basketball for a while, and found it interesting, at least to watch my team. But, I lost interest, and now I find it boring. It isn't because I don't understand it, it's just because I lost interest. Some who find it boring don't understand it, and might find it interesting if they did, but for others, more knowledge wouldn't/doesn't make a difference.

I'm glag the article addressed the "joke" of showing two opposing players (or two male fans in opposing team clothing) as part of the kiss cam. That's the part that bothered me about it as it continues the idea that being male and gay is something to insult people with.

A decade later, Shprintzen says he doesn’t remember anything else about the game—not who won, not who pitched, not who made the best play.

That’s because baseball is boring. No one remembers. I went to a game once, couldn’t have been more than five because it was a Tigers home game and my family left Michigan when I was five, and all I remember is that it was a long ass walk getting from the parking lot to the stadium and I couldn’t tell what was going on from the cheap seats. But then that would have been 99.99% true even from the from front row. Baseball is boring.

My elementary school took us on semi-annual trips to see the local AAA team. It's not much of an exaggeration to say the only things I remember are the entire school walking to the subway station and a rain delay. I've been back a few times as an adult, and while I do find the games entertaining now, it's still nowhere near as memorable as hockey or football.

On the main topic - I recently attended my first NWHL* game, which while it did have many NHL-style forms of in game entertainment, did not have a kiss cam. I can't say I noticed its absence until seeing this thread, nor do I feel slighted by its absence now.

“It’s traditional” is perfectly correct as a stand alone, much like saying “it’s ugly.” But, with added time to consider, I can see how tradition, the noun, works better in context given the preceding clause. Not incorrect either way IMHO, but using the noun more strongly links the two clauses.

I do hope I’ve used “clause” correctly here. I’m afraid English is my only language.

A relative got a degree in teaching ESL (English as a Second Language, if you didn't know). And as a result, I must admit, whenever i've seen you post, I think... "A______ as a Second Language? Which one is it?"

These days I think it's often called EAL anyway (English as an Additional Language, rather than Second) - because many of those who speak English for international purposes were fluent or proficient in more than one other language before they learned English.

... So I have no idea which other language ASL might speak (other than the obvious, American Sign Language - does one "speak" that?), but I do sometimes wonder what language UEL is talking in. Canadian, I think. I've met him enough times...